Gedeon (Balaban) of Lvov

His Grace Bishop Hedeon (Hryhorii) Balaban, also Gedeon Balaban, was the Orthodox bishop of Lviv from 1569 to 1607. He opposed the Union of Brest until his death after initially having supported rapproachement with Rome.[1]

Life

Balaban was born in 1530. He took the side of the Orthodox Church against the Polish Roman Catholics, in particular the Roman Catholic archbishop of Lviv.[2] He resisted introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 and struggled against the Lviv Dormition Brotherhood on behalf of episcopal authority.[3] Starting in 1590, he took part in negotiations over union with the Roman Catholic Church, but joined with Prince Kostiantyn Ostrozky at the Council of Berestia in 1596 in opposition to union.[3][4][5] He maintained this position until his death.[2]

In 1599 he established a Greco-Slavic printing press with his nephew Fedir Balaban in Striatyn and then later in Krylos where he published various church books. Throughout his life, Balaban supported Orthodox brotherhood schools. He died on February 10, 1607 in Lviv.[2]